I’ve been a casual White Lion fan for as long as I can remember but in the last two years or so I’ve become an even bigger fan. I think they are one of the most underrated bands to spring from the hair metal era. Because of this, naturally I was interested in Tramp’s solo material. He’s kept pretty steady in music even after the original White Lion broke up. I am not sure if White Lion even exists anymore (the latest album, Return of the Pride, was released in 2008) but this is the second album since 2009 from Tramp’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Circuz group. Though a few of Tramp’s solo/side project albums are out-of-print, I have heard a bit of what he’s done outside White Lion and liked it all well enough to go as far a pre-ordering Stand Your Ground from Amazon.com

True to form, I have not been disappointed. This album definitely still falls under the “rock” category but it seems like Mike Tramp has taken on a more low-key and mellow vibe compared to what White Lion played in the ’80s. In other words, there’s no “Lights and Thunder”, “Hungry”, “All You Need Is Rock ‘N’ Roll” or “If My Mind Is Evil”. Mike seems to have put all those heavier in-your-face kind of rock songs to bed and is content to play good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll like “Alright By Me” and “Gotta Get Away” (probably the hardest rocking song of the bunch).

There is one thing that Mike has not changed though: the serious subject matter and emotional subjects brought up in the lyrics. “The Soldier Never Started A War” is pretty obvious by the song title alone, “Wish You Well” is a song about a father seeing his son grow up, “Distance” is about being separated from a loved one (perhaps even having lost a loved one), then there’s the love lyrics of “Prettiest Girl” and “Straight From The Look In My Eyes”.

Anyone who is a White Lion fan, or more specifically a Mike Tramp fan, should enjoy this album. Mike Tramp never really seems to get much press but he’s been active since the ’80s cranking out one good album after another and it’s time people start recognizing that!

Highlights: “Don’t Let Them Put It On You”, “Alright By Me”, “Gotta Get Away”, “Distance”, “Wish You Well”, “The World Is Changing”, “Prettiest Girl”